Many years ago the apparel industry started leaving the United States. The common public perception has always been that its cause was the corporate search for cheap labor, but those in the industry know that the principal reason was that Americans didn’t want to sew any more. Sewing was considered to be an unattractive labor career, less interesting and less rewarding than higher-paying ones in the automobile and steel industries, and more physically demanding than those in the service sector. Jobs in those industries were more highly prized, and applicants stood in line for them. Yet willing applicants for sewing positions were impossible to find. Manufacturers were merely trading operators. Very little new talent was appearing at plants, even though the signs were always posted advertising “OPERATORS WANTED.” […]

If you’re like a lot of women, you probably own a lot of intimate apparel. But how much do you know about bras, panties, and shapewear? Want to find out? Here’s a test to measure your general knowledge of these fashion categories. Use the answer key at the end to calculate your score and determine your intimates quotient (IQ). […]

Do you know where your intimate apparel came from? Do you know how your bras were made and by whom? Do you know whether your shapewear was sewn or spun in a nice, neat, clean environment? Do you know how your panties were transported to the marketplace? Have you wondered in what type of shipping containers your intimates traveled, first to your country and then to your store? Have you ever thought about how many individuals handled your lingerie before you tried it on? Sure, you’ve probably glanced at labels and noticed the countries your garments were made in, but you’ve probably never thought about these other questions. […]

Periodically, the news media expose unethical labor practices being used in factories throughout the world. Sometimes the problems involve child labor; other times, unsafe working conditions, unreasonably long hours or low pay, or even the physical abuse of workers. Often, such stories are publicized because they involve world-renowned companies, celebrity owners, or well-known endorsers. However, for every case connected to a famous brand or entertainer, there are likely a multitude of others involving companies and products of which most people have never heard. And while such cases today, more often than not, occur in less-developed nations, we shouldn’t forget that unsafe factory conditions, as exemplified by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911, were common in the United States until the early part of the 20th century. And unfortunately, sweatshops can still be found in America today. […]

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By Tony Angelino Cupid® Are the days of sewing lingerie with needle and thread numbered? Times are changing, and the apparel industry in the United States, where sewing operators used to number more than 700,000, has become a small fraction of its former size. The up-and-coming centers of clothing production are now located in Asia, […]

By Adam Welsch Naomi & NicoleÂ® Today is International Women’s Day.Â First celebrated in a few European countries on March 19, 1911, the date was changed to March 8th in 1913 and today is observed in more than seventy countries around the world.Â Originally, its purpose was to generate support for the fight by women […]

By Adam Welsch Miraclesuit® Shapewear Today marks the 88th anniversary of the publication of the inaugural edition of TIME® Magazine, America’s first weekly news magazine. As a fixture of newsstands, libraries, waiting rooms, and coffee tables across the country, TIME® has played a central role in the coverage of political, economic, foreign-affairs, and scientific news. […]

By Marcy Montgomery Jones Naomi & Nicole® Sunday night was full of glamour and grace at the 2011 Academy Awards®. Whether you watched the Oscars® for the awards, the speeches, or the red-carpet display, you couldn’t ignore the beautiful gowns. Since the fashion seen Sunday will trickle down into our wardrobes in the coming months, […]

By Adam Welsch Naomi & Nicole® When you think about shapewear, which silhouette do you envision? Do you see a torsette, a bodybriefer, a pantliner, or a waist cincher? Chances are that you picture something more basic; chances are you see a brief. Briefs may not be exciting, but they address certain needs well. Think […]